Happy 2014 Everyone. Here is the new thread. Can someone cut and paste the link from hereat the end of the old 2013 thread and also bring over the articles and "rules" from the beginning of the other one to the beginning of this one? I can't cut and paste from my smart phone...

MIW

__________________
Starting Weight: 235lbs Starting Date: November 1, 2012 WOE: CAD/CALP and loving it! Staying on plan, not giving up, making it work! If not me, who? If not now, when?

i've lowered my goal weight a bit, and i'm switching from the BBD to here (CAD), varying my RM to whatever time's convenient. so thrilled with this method. i don't lose weight on it, but i'm comfortably maintaining, without deprivation. juddd is my weight loss tool, but this is the method is where i'm most comfortable, where i live when taking a dieting breather.

Hey everyone! Nice to see all the familiar folks! I love the flexibility of CAD and will not deviate. With CAD I can take it day by day. No need to get too much into a routine if I don't want so there is no excuse if a special event comes up or holiday. I can just adjust as needed depending on the day! However in all reality I do have a routine that I like well: RM for breakfast!

Awesome KatMc about your 2014 starting weight! You are definitely doing well and sticking to it! You can do it iakaren! You have been at this longer than me so it should be second nature. Don't give up anymore or let anyone in 2014 tell you how to eat!!!!! YOU get to decide and this is for you this year! Make 2014 all about you

MIW

__________________
Starting Weight: 235lbs Starting Date: November 1, 2012 WOE: CAD/CALP and loving it! Staying on plan, not giving up, making it work! If not me, who? If not now, when?

Oh ya, can someone cut and paste the CAD rules, tips, and the article from the first page of the 2013 hangout thread here too please? I think it is customary to have the rules for each diet at the first page on the forums here. It will end up being like the first 3 or 4 posts on that thread. Amongst all those tips and articles is pretty much everything one needs to know about CAD, CALP, the history of the diet and Insulin Resistance. Thanks!

MIW

__________________
Starting Weight: 235lbs Starting Date: November 1, 2012 WOE: CAD/CALP and loving it! Staying on plan, not giving up, making it work! If not me, who? If not now, when?

Hello! Welcome to the thread for the Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet & LifeSpan Programs!

There are many of us here at LCF who have found ongoing success with the CAD/CALP diets. This is the place to get to know us and hopefully JOIN US! The people here are wonderful and supportive. We love to answer questions and cheer you on!

If you are interested in this way of eating, I highly recommend getting the book and reading it thoroughly. I will explain how the diet works, but you really need to go straight to the source. They certainly explain much better than me!

This diet works because it controls your insulin release, which is related to how you store and use body fat. (See the book for all the scientific references!) You are allowed only three meals and one optional snack on CAD/CALP. This is how the insulin releases are controlled. Two of the meals are called “Complementary Meals” (CM’s) and the third is called a “Reward Meal” (RM.) There is no calorie counting, no carbohydrate counting… it is a very simple diet so none of that is necessary. If you follow the rules, everything falls into place.

CM’s are essentially very low carb meals. You divide your plate in half, and ½ your meal is protein, and the other ½ is low carb vegtables. Simple. There is a specific list of veggies to choose from called “crave–reducing” choices. The list is pretty extensive, but it does not include all low carb veggies. You are allowed to eat from this list, and that is all. If it’s not on the list, you don’t eat it. (But rest assured, there’s so much to choose from you won’t feel restricted.) It’s easy and flexible, it just needs to be balanced, protein & veggie. The optional snack is the same as the CM, just smaller.

A RM is a flexible meal you can have for your choice of breakfast, lunch or dinner. This makes it easy to plan for events like restaurant meals or parties. For the RM you begin your meal with a salad, then you divide your plate into thirds. 1/3 is protein, 1/3 is low carb veggie, and that last 1/3 is ANYTHING YOU WANT. If it fits in that 1/3 balance, you can have it. Potato, bread, cake, cookies, candy, pasta, rice, whatever carbohydrate you feel like having.

This does not give you free license to pig out on carbs, your meals must be BALANCED. If you want more carbohydrates, you must also take the same portions of protein and vegetables too.

One more catch: The RM must be completed within a one hour time limit. This has everything to do with controlling the insulin release and it is very important. You are not allowed to snack (aside from the optional complementary snack.) You eat three to four times a day, and that’s it. Believe it or not, this will not be a problem. Your meals should carry you easily to the next meal. It’s all about that insulin control.

Many people have the misconception that the RM is a 1-hour pig out all you can eat junk-a-thon. IT IS NOT. People also think that if they even have one taste of sugar they will binge into oblivion. THIS IS NOT TRUE. If you are true to the diet and stick to the 1/3 portion of carbohydrates, you will be just fine. You will be pleasantly surprised that the single slice of pie is enough, and you’re okay not going back for more and more like in the old days!

Overall this is a very flexible diet that fits well into the real world. The people here all have their own ways of making the diet work for them. Look at their losses! This WOE works wonders. (On your psyche, too! No deprivation!)

This thread is where all of us CAD/CALP followers hang out. Hopefully they will all come in and introduce themselves soon, tell you what works for them, how long they’ve been at it and how much they have lost.

*if your particularly sensitive to carbs, you may find that these foods can cause rebound cravings or educed weight loss. If so, or you have concern, eliminate them or save for reward meals.

CAD/CALP CHEAT SHEET

1. EAT TWO MEALS OR TWO MEALS AND A SNACK COMPRISED OF THE LISTED FOODS.
2. EAT 12-16 OUNCES OF PROTEIN A DAY; MOSTLY RED MEAT, DARK MEAT POULTRY, AND FISH.
3. EXCEPT FOR THE AMOUNTS LISTED, ITEMS ARE LIMITED TO 3 GRAMS OF CARBOHYDRATE/ITEM AND A TOTAL OF 6 GRAMS/MEAL FOR CONDIMENTS/OTHER ITEMS.
4. A SNACK IS ONE-HALF THE SIZE OF A MEAL. ALWAYS CARRY AN ALLOWED SNACK SUCH AS BEEF JERKY WITH YOU WHEN OUT.
3. DO NOT EAT ANY FOOD DURING YOUR NON-CARBOHYDRATE MEALS WITH MORE THAN 3 GRAMS OF CARBOHYDRATE PER SERVING.
5. HAVE ONE BALANCED REWARD MEAL W/SALAD EATING WHATEVER YOU WANT, HOWEVER MUCH YOU WANT. EAT NO LONGER THAN 60 CONTINUOUS MINUTES. DO NOT LET MORE THAN 20 MINUTES LAPSE BETWEEN FOODS TAKEN WITHIN THE 60 MINUTE REWARD MEAL.
6. CALP GUIDE IS TO HAVE A BALANCED REWARD MEAL COMPRISED OF 1/3 PROTEIN, 1/3 VEGETABLES AND 1/3 CARBOHYDRATES (INCLUDING DESSERT AND ALCOHOL)
7. EXCEPT FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS, HAVE REWARD MEAL FOR THE SAME MEAL EACH DAY.
8. OTHER THAN DIET SOFT DRINKS, SUGAR SUBSTITUTES AND SUGAR-FREE GELATIN; DO NOT USE DIET OR LOW FAT PRODUCTS WITHOUT CHECKING CARBOHYDRATES.
9. LIMIT DIET SOFT DRINKS TO 2 AND ADDITIONAL SUGAR SUBSTITUTES TO 2 PER DAY. AVOID MSG.
10. DRINK 8-10 12 OUNCE GLASSES OF WATER A DAY.
11. USE UP TO 2 OUNCES MILK, HEAVY LIGHT OR COFFEE CREAM IN YOUR COFFEE ONCE A DAY AND DRINK IT WITHIN 15 MINUTES, OTHERWISE HAVE IT BLACK. DO NOT USE NON-DAIRY POWDER.
12. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. FOOD ALLERGIES/SENSITIVITIES CAN ALSO CAUSE CRAVINGS, GAS, BLOATED/UPSET STOMACHES, AND HEADACHES. IF ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS RESULT FROM THE REWARD MEAL, INVESTIGATE/FIND THE CULPRIT FOOD AND MINIMIZE/AVOID IT IN YOUR DIET.
13. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY II. SOME CARBOHYDRATE ADDICTS CAN REACT TO THESE FOODS WITH INCREASED APPETITE/CRAVINGS ALSO—ARTIFICIAL SUGARS, SUGAR ALCOHOLS, DIET SODAS, CAFFEINE, COTTAGE CHEESE, YOGURT, BROCCOLI, RED PEPPER AND OTHER HIGHER CARB VEGGIES. IF ANY OF THESE AFFECT YOU, ONLY HAVE THEM WITH YOUR REWARD MEAL.

PROTEIN (4-6 oz. Cooked, 6-8 oz. Raw/meal)
Any tofu, meat, game, poultry, containing 3 grams of carbohydrate or less per serving.
Any fish or shellfish without added fillers or sugars. Do not eat imitation lobster, crab or fish.
Any cheese containing 3 grams of carbohydrate or less per serving.
Eggs or egg substitutes containing 3 grams of carbohydrate or less per serving.
Watch out for prepared egg, meat or fish salads, they often put breadcrumbs in them to extend them.

How the Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet was discovered, formed, refined, studied, and demonstrated to work with those who are Insulin Resistant

Many of us are overweight and are looking for ways to improve our health and lose weight. We have dieted in the past, only to find it a struggle the entire time: hungry, cranky, elated with the weight loss but eventually giving up only to gain all the weight back and usually even more than when we started. For some of us it has been a life long cycle of exactly this. Diet, become miserable, give up, end up worse off then having not even dieted at all.

It was due to their own similar weight loss struggles that eventually led Dr. Rachael Heller and Dr. Richard Heller to further their research. They wanted to find out how the weight Rachael lost that she accidentally stumbled upon worked. They later went on to study and refine that way of eating for consistent results with others who have similar metabolisms.

Dr. Rachael Heller had been overweight her entire life. She discovered one day when she had to fast for an X-ray that she lost 2 pounds, even though she ended up eating a rather large dinner that night. She was surprised by that and decided to continue eating the same way for the next week to see what happened. She basically fasted all day, then ate what she wanted during dinner. She realized she felt fine all day with limited hunger, good energy levels, and could still eat the foods she really liked for dinner and not suffer for it like she had following traditional low fat and low calorie diets. She continued this way of eating and ultimately lost 150 pounds!

Her husband had also struggled with his weight over the years and started keeping track of foods that seemed to satisfy him and others that seemed to trigger hunger. When they finally met later in life they decided to research their combined experiences to see how and why they had finally been able to find a way of eating that did everything we all dream about when dieting: satisfies hunger, gives you energy, allows you to still eat and lose weight, allows you to eat everyday regular comfort foods and still lose weight, is simple (no weighing, no counting calories, etc).

They went on to study why eating, and especially eating certain foods seemed to trigger more hunger and weight gain in certain people. The main culprit is how the body reacts to the hormone insulin. They found that with people who were Insulin Resistant (IR), they seemed to be hungry all the time, and all had especially strong reactions to carb rich foods. Hence dubbing this way of eating The Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet. They studied certain common symptoms found in people with insulin resistance and came up with a test that reader’s of their books can take to see if they have it without having to take blood tests with their doctor.

They used already known research and knowledge about insulin resistance and metabolic factors and studied how eating certain ways seemed to limit the release of insulin and this is the key to their diet. It was found that it is not necessary to fast all day like Rachael had done. You also do not have to cut out carbohydrates altogether either. You could eat foods that did not stimulate large amounts of insulin release and still lose weight. Not having large amounts of insulin floating around the blood stream has other added benefits besides weight loss: less hunger, less cravings, less drowsiness.

These are the keys to the success of this diet. You feel good. You have energy. You are not mindlessly hungry and craving certain foods and constantly wanting to eat. You can still eat wholesome foods, and once a day you can have an actual real meal for dinner (or your favorite time of day to consume carbohydrate rich foods) complete with any of your favorite foods and still lose weight. You don’t have to count calories, count fat grams, weigh things, buy special diet food or products, etc. It is an actual way of eating that is simple, easy to follow, healthy, nutritious, satisfying, and most of all actually works for up to 80% of people who have Carbohydrate Addiction. It is an actual way of life.

80% success you ask? Yes. They studied 1000 people and followed them for 2 years and found they had an 80% success rate. They fine tuned the diet and continued to study it more over the years and have found over time things that seemed to contribute to failure in certain people and have gone on to publish more books and diets specific to this. Some people eat too much during their Reward Meal time- hence the CALP book’s recommendations of an actual spelled out balanced meal: Start with a 2 Cup salad, look at your dinner plate and divide it into thirds: 1/3 protein, 1/3 more of vegetables, and 1/3 of a carb of your choice. They also found in certain people MSG, sugar free products, and caffeine can be triggers to release insulin. Watch for these symptoms of cravings, increased hunger, weight gain or stalled loss to be your guide that something you ingested during the low carb meals or snack is the culprit. Some people snack throughout the day, others do not mind to the one hour limit when eating. These are things that contribute to additional insulin in the blood stream. More insulin equals more hunger and weight gain.

A similar diet was set up and studied in Israel and was found to have similar results to the Heller’s Carbohydrate Addict’s diet. You can read more details about that study here:

Saving Carbs for Dinnertime Might Help Control Weight
Saving Carbs for Dinnertime Might Help Control Weight - healthfinder.gov

The Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet (CAD), and the Carbohydrate Addict’s Life Span Program (CALP) work differently than other low carb diets. You only have to follow a few simple guidelines. You do not have to keep track of carbohydrate intake for the most part. There is no induction phase, nor do you go into ketosis. On those types of diets you are given a daily allotment of carbs you can ingest. You get to choose when you want to eat them. You can eat all sorts of low carb products, and you can graze and eat all day as long as you stay within your carb allotments.

The CAD/CALP diets differ in that the food you eat, how frequently you eat, and the length of time you eat has everything to do with the Insulin Resistant metabolism. The more carbohydrate rich the foods, as well as the frequency in which one eats causes more release of insulin. In those with IR, you want to use your metabolism to your benefit. You want to manipulate it to suit you. Hence, you eat as low carb as possible, and no more than 2-3 times a day for these low carb meals. You can still eat plenty of vegetables during the low carb meals for the added nutrients of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. It has been found that you can still eat carb-rich foods in a balanced amount with the rest of a meal one time a day and still lose weight. However, you need to eat within an hour.

There are several reasons, the main being how your body releases insulin. Any time you eat, your body releases insulin in different phases. At the start of eating your body will begin to release insulin based of off previous meal intake. If previous meals were low carb, then it will release less insulin since it was primed to do so. The next phase is off of currently ingested food. If you are eating longer than an hour your body will continue to release more insulin into the blood stream. Limiting your carb-rich meal to one hour will not only cut back on the amount of food you might eat, but also uses these insulin mechanisms to your benefit.

With other low carb diets, you may be consuming less carbs in total over the day, but still having insulin in the blood stream far more regularly than if you limited meals to a total of 3-4 times a day and ideally spaced 3-6 hours apart. Not to mention with other low carb diets you can actually eat quite a lot of carbs at meals and still be considered “low carb.” Think of the CAD/CALP way of eating as “extreme low-carb” all day and then “regular carb” at your carb rich meal.

This may be why depending on a particular person’s metabolism one way of eating may work and another may not. One should find a way of eating that can be a lifestyle and not a short term solution. If you find that your particular way of eating is not satisfying, that you are always hungry, and that you think you have avoid certain foods or food groups in order to lose weight and that is not something you can conceive of doing the rest of your life, then you may want to consider trying CAD/CALP yourself to see if it works for your particular metabolism.

The diet in a nutshell with meal planning examples:

A low carb breakfast such as eggs and bacon, an omelet with spinach and cheese, cream cheese and lunch meat lettuce wraps.

For lunch, a large salad with your favorite salad dressing (should be 2gm of carbs per serving or less), and your choice of diced chicken, a hamburger pattie, deli meats, etc.

For an optional snack if needed: pepperoni and cheese sticks, a cabbage roll, a boiled egg, etc.

For dinner: Start with a large salad. Divide your plate into thirds and have 1/3 protein of your choice, 1/3 of another vegetable of your choice, and 1/3 of a carb of your choice (alcoholic beverage, fruit, rice, beans, ice cream, cake, bread, etc). You do not have to weigh or count calories. Just eyeball it and keep to the thirds balance. If you want seconds go back for a second serving of each in the same 1/3 portions and not for just more carbs to keep it all balanced. Consume it all within an hour. The original CAD diet was more vague about keeping the meal balanced and a lot of people interpreted that diet as a one hour carb binge. However some people can still eat a lot more carbs during this meal and lose weight. If you are not losing weight you may want to follow the balanced plan as outlined in the CALP book for better results.

You may also drink water and unsweetened coffee or tea as often as you wish. If you want cream in your coffee, you can do so once a day and should drink it within 15 minutes. Do not drink sugar free sodas or diet drinks outside of your carb meal. Even sugar free sweeteners have been found to cause the body to release insulin.

Read the books for the exact details of their diet plans and for more information on the list of acceptable foods such as proteins, vegetables, and condiments that have been studied and considered acceptable during the low carb meals for the best success.

Thanks for the help in getting to the new thread. I really want to at least read the posts every day.

Here I am not even a week into CAD, and my first big challenge is coming up. This weekend my sister and I plan to visit our aunt, a wonderful 97-year-old lady who lives halfway across the state (that's a fur piece, the state being Texas) and who expresses her love via the oven. We always tell her not to do a bunch of cooking, we'll take care of all the meals, but that's like telling water to run uphill. It's just against her nature not to feed everybody who comes through her door. And oh, my, does she make the best pecan pie in the world. Also the best lemon chess pie. Also the best .... well, you get the idea. It's going to take all my ingenuity and all my willpower to stay on plan the three days of this trip, but if I go off plan this soon it will be ten times more difficult to get back on. Does anybody have any suggestions for dealing with this situation?

Thanks for the help in getting to the new thread. I really want to at least read the posts every day.

Here I am not even a week into CAD, and my first big challenge is coming up. This weekend my sister and I plan to visit our aunt, a wonderful 97-year-old lady who lives halfway across the state (that's a fur piece, the state being Texas) and who expresses her love via the oven. We always tell her not to do a bunch of cooking, we'll take care of all the meals, but that's like telling water to run uphill. It's just against her nature not to feed everybody who comes through her door. And oh, my, does she make the best pecan pie in the world. Also the best lemon chess pie. Also the best .... well, you get the idea. It's going to take all my ingenuity and all my willpower to stay on plan the three days of this trip, but if I go off plan this soon it will be ten times more difficult to get back on. Does anybody have any suggestions for dealing with this situation?

Yes- here are my suggestions: Tell her you will save xyz carb she wants to serve you for "later" or dinner then eat it then! Go hog wild during your RM hour since this is a special occaision and if you don't want to offend her. And/or also tell her you have a "medical condition" and if she really wants to hear about it tell her you have hyperinsulinemia. It is where the body produces too much insulin in response to the foods one eats and carbohydrates (ie flour and sugar) cause the most surges. It is a precursor to diabetes. There is no cure but you can "treat" it by not eating foods that contain carbs all day long. However the good news is that you can eat carbs in one meal a day so you are super happy that you can eat her famous pie but sadly will have to save it for your one carbohydrate meal each day. That is the simplest explanation.

Hope it works and goes well! I wish I could have some homemade pecan pie! LOL

MIW

__________________
Starting Weight: 235lbs Starting Date: November 1, 2012 WOE: CAD/CALP and loving it! Staying on plan, not giving up, making it work! If not me, who? If not now, when?

Thanks for the help in getting to the new thread. I really want to at least read the posts every day.

Here I am not even a week into CAD, and my first big challenge is coming up. This weekend my sister and I plan to visit our aunt, a wonderful 97-year-old lady who lives halfway across the state (that's a fur piece, the state being Texas) and who expresses her love via the oven. We always tell her not to do a bunch of cooking, we'll take care of all the meals, but that's like telling water to run uphill. It's just against her nature not to feed everybody who comes through her door. And oh, my, does she make the best pecan pie in the world. Also the best lemon chess pie. Also the best .... well, you get the idea. It's going to take all my ingenuity and all my willpower to stay on plan the three days of this trip, but if I go off plan this soon it will be ten times more difficult to get back on. Does anybody have any suggestions for dealing with this situation?

I agree with MIW. Eat her baking, but do it only at lunchtime. Put it on a plate, and keep it with you until lunch, and then enjoy whatever you want. It can be done.

Well, I'm up almost a pound today. I have a feeling it had something to do with the several glasses of extra brut champagne I had on New Year's Eve. If there's one area I stumble, it's the alcohol on special occasions. I expected this, so all I can do is power through and be extra vigilant the next few days.

To keep me going, I'm posting a progress pic. The first one was taken about a month before I started this WOE and the second was taken last night. I can tell a difference, so I will keep on keeping on!

Happy New Year, thanks for reposting the rules. I am still believing that I am losing about a pound a week (could be more, not sure). But I will be happy with one. I am so grateful not to be hungry all the time, now I can focus on some other health issues, that more exercise, etc. will help.

Thanks for the help in getting to the new thread. I really want to at least read the posts every day.

Here I am not even a week into CAD, and my first big challenge is coming up. This weekend my sister and I plan to visit our aunt, a wonderful 97-year-old lady who lives halfway across the state (that's a fur piece, the state being Texas) and who expresses her love via the oven. We always tell her not to do a bunch of cooking, we'll take care of all the meals, but that's like telling water to run uphill. It's just against her nature not to feed everybody who comes through her door. And oh, my, does she make the best pecan pie in the world. Also the best lemon chess pie. Also the best .... well, you get the idea. It's going to take all my ingenuity and all my willpower to stay on plan the three days of this trip, but if I go off plan this soon it will be ten times more difficult to get back on. Does anybody have any suggestions for dealing with this situation?

My family also loves to express their affection through food. I've definitely grown up eating when I was happy, sad, bored, you name it. I also have a bad tendency of deciding that a special occasion necessitates cheating, and if I don't cheat, I'm "depriving" myself.

What has worked for me with this WOE is to change my definition of cheating. Whereas before, cheating for me would mean eating exactly what I want when I want all day and night for the duration of the trip, now cheating means that I won't balance my meals during my RM on the trip. So during my RM, I might have a bunch of mac and cheese and chocolate cake and not worry about the protein or salad for that meal. It's not perfect, but it means the scale doesn't jump up more than a pound or two, and I still feel like I'm cheating. I also recommend bringing along a lot of CM approved snacks! When you see someone eating something you really want, cut yourself a slice of fancy cheese and don't feel bad about eating extra CM-approved snacks while you're traveling.

Today's RM eaten later than usual and I fasted all morning since I just wasn't hungry and had a ton to do! Got the house cleaned up, laundry done, garbage and recycling all taken out, on to get the mail, get some hay, load up the barn and take care of the animals. Phew! Then came in and got started cooking. Made a homemade pizza, fried up a bunch of steaks.

Today's RM eaten later than usual and I fasted all morning since I just wasn't hungry and had a ton to do! Got the house cleaned up, laundry done, garbage and recycling all taken out, on to get the mail, get some hay, load up the barn and take care of the animals. Phew! Then came in and got started cooking. Made a homemade pizza, fried up a bunch of steaks.

Today's RM eaten later than usual and I fasted all morning since I just wasn't hungry and had a ton to do! Got the house cleaned up, laundry done, garbage and recycling all taken out, on to get the mail, get some hay, load up the barn and take care of the animals. Phew! Then came in and got started cooking. Made a homemade pizza, fried up a bunch of steaks.

Well, I'm not giving up steak! LOL! I will let you know how I do on fruit/open dinners. Weight fluctuates on this a lot more because of the high water content of the fruit but it also drops faster. On protein and fat weight didn't jump but it gradually went up and then stuck. I am not going anywhere unless people want me to stop posting. Who knows. Maybe I'll blow up like the Good Year Blimp and be back but as a thin person I think that I would have to really restrict on CAD to lose or maintain and I am not williing to skimp on food. Don't forget, I also run a lot and still gained on CAD. I have to have energy to run.Tonight I had open dessert night but tomorrow I may start with fruit and then lunch might be open and dinner a pint of ice cream. Or maybe I will just have fruit/pizza and ice cream. Remember when I was eating on the BB and would start at 5 a.m. with 2 mangos and then eat the rest of my BB around 8 and lost. I really think it was the fruit enzymes and the flushing out from the day before. Also the early weighing times with 24 hours later weigh ins. Sorry to ramble but just saying.............

Dumb question, does anyone else have a lot of chills when losing weight, I used to think it was my body trying to slow my metabolism down. No, I'm not ill or catching anything, no fever. It's been happening a lot this fall. Usually when I'm going to sleep.

Thanks for all the good tips. I think my aunt will be sympathetic with the insulin/diabetes connection, especially when I tell her that my blood sugar was slightly up at my last physical. (Not diabetic, but edging that way.) Both my grandmothers became diabetic, and I sure don't want to join that club.

I'm finding I really need to watch the RMs--maybe I can have anything I want, but I sure can't have EVERYTHING I want. And I'd better give up the fast food drive-thru. It's so tempting when you live alone to let somebody else do the cooking one meal a day, but you just never know what's actually in that stuff.

You all are completely amazing the way you work through things, keeping your eyes on your goals, and especially for making CAD/CALP work so well during the holidays.

MIW, I wish I could share some of my aunt's pie with you. I think what makes it so good is that she has her own pecan trees. They even grow wild here in Texas.